1. Field
The disclosed and claimed concept relates generally to electrical distribution equipment and, more particularly, to a modular vacuum interruption apparatus usable therewith.
2. Related Art
Electrical distribution equipment is well known in the related art. Such electrical distribution equipment is known to include current interruption devices such as circuit breakers, vacuum interrupters, and the like. Such interruption devices are intended to interrupt the flow of current through a circuit in certain predefined conditions such as overcurrent conditions, under-voltage conditions, and other conditions, all in a known fashion.
Vacuum interrupters are understood in the relevant art to include within an evacuated envelope a pair of separable electrical contacts that include a movable contact and a stationary contact. When the current flowing through the vacuum interrupter is desired to be interrupted, a linkage or other type of drive mechanism that is situated generally at the exterior of the evacuated envelope moves the movable contact away from the stationary contact. The absence of air within the evacuated envelope facilitates the rapid extinction of any arc that may be formed between the movable and stationary contacts in a known fashion. While such vacuum interrupters have been generally effective for their intended purposes, they have not been without limitation. Improvements are therefore desirable.